Centennial college is Toronto's No. 1 community college. It offers lots of full time and part time programs including diploma, degree programs & also offers co-operative programs. Students of Co-operative programs can gain practical field experience with their college studies.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Did you know that a widening skilled-labour shortage as well as quickly advancing technology in the energy sector is opening many doors for educated Energy System Engineering Technicians? Professionals who deal with today’s energy systems face entirely new challenges, as society’s views on construction and utility shift to a greener outlook. This shift means that Energy System Engineering Technicians must find innovative ways to incorporate alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, fuel cells, gas turbines and biomass into our city’s electricity, heat and air-conditioning units. Because these energy sources are not our top source (yet), Energy System Engineering Techs must have the ability to integrate our modern sustainable energy technologies with the new ones in ways that are consistent with the urban environment. In order to do this, techs are required to posses a wide range of knowledge across mechanical, electrical, electronic and automation engineering fields.

Other tasks in the Energy Systems Engineering Technology field include: designing, assembling and programming building automation systems; developing advanced control systems for energy, chemical processes or manufacturing; designing and maintaining heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration units; and operating power plants of various sizes.

The first step to entering this field is a valid post-secondary education. Centennial College offers a three-year Energy Systems Engineering Technology program that challenges students with its unique blend of technical, managerial and entrepreneurial teachings that result in skills that are highly sought after in modern energy and sustainable building companies. In order to be considered for the program, you must possess at least an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. You should also have compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Within the Energy Systems Engineering Technology program, students take courses such as: Computer Aided Drafting, Fabrication and Installation, Electronic Devices, Wind and Solar Energy, Mechanics and Materials and more. In addition, advanced courses are also provided. They include: Energy Auditing and Management, Motion Controls and Network, Building Automation Systems and more. Students also have the opportunity to participate in labs, applied research and development projects to further enhance their knowledge.

Lastly, qualified graduates may be eligible to participate in an articulated program with selected universities and institutes. These partnerships allow graduates to apply academic credit towards further study. Centennial College’s partners are Athabasca University where you can obtain a science degree and Lakehead University where you can study to graduate with an engineering degree. Students must maintain a C grade average to graduate from Centennial College.